


Row, row, row (there's a whole ocean a-waitin')

by torches



Category: Treasure Planet (2002)
Genre: M/M, five things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-10
Updated: 2009-09-10
Packaged: 2017-10-09 14:09:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/88294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torches/pseuds/torches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times John Silver didn't regret leaving Treasure Planet behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Row, row, row (there's a whole ocean a-waitin')

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Katarik](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katarik/gifts).



1\. He never could give up the life for good; he misses Morph and _terribly_ \- the little squib was more comforting to him in the long stretches of lonely space than he'd have been able to admit without its presence there to keep him from thinking about it - but he builds a crew around him again. It's a less sharp crew than he'd be wanting, but it's a less hard crew too, and he does want that.

Takes 'em a while to realize his newfound decent streak don't mean he's gone any _softer_ in the brainpan, but after the first ten times a backstabbin's been met with the cold vaccuum of space for the would-be stabbers of backs, he starts being able to sleep easy in his own damn bed for once.

And then he finds out about a big heist - the biggest ever - and he finds out he ain't invited.

So he invites himself, and loses a crew member in the process, but he's there when the heist goes hole-shaped and he's nearly gone when one of those shiny, fancy naval ships drops lines and starts to board his beloved piece of flotsam.

And, well, if this is how he goes out, it's been a good run, and he's only sad he never got to say a proper goodbye to Jim first, when up onto the deck swings the finest piece of livery he's ever laid eyes on, and oh if he don't know that grin anywhere.

"By the stars, Hawkins," he says, a laugh roaring its way up through his throat, "you _do_ clean up nice! Come here and let old John have a look at yer, then!"

And of course navy-boy's eyes shoot up to his hairline, but he stops himself and shakes his head.

And forever after John Silver has the reputation of the one pirate who ever stared down the navy on his own ship and walked away without firing a single blessed shot.

And forever after Jim Hawkins gained a reputation as the spaceman who knew where the ships were going, after they'd evaded all the rest of the galactic navy, a captain with uncommon wits when it came to the motions and machinations of the worst pirates to sail the waves. And he never not once could be made to divulge the ways by which he came to this knowledge, but it was always the truth.

2\. He was dirty, he was wearing ratty clothes, and the hair was all the wrong cut and color, but when Silver had to choose his new crew from where he stood, he knew the look in those eyes no matter what kind of work had been done to hide from anyone else.

Funny how it felt to be looking down at him now, when the last time it's been the other way 'round.

"That one," he said, pointing one long mechanical finger, "and I want him workin' the _galleys_."

3\. He don't get back to Montressor till years and years later. But he can't miss this; he'd hate himself for years and years more, if he weren't.

'Course it rains most of the day, when they lay Miz Hawkins down, but he added an umbrella to his arsenal for just this reason, and end of the day he just lets Jim cry as long as he's got to. Man's got a good set of shoulders on him now, he thinks, and pats him awkwardly while the rain sluices off in sheets and the stars themselves hide from the sky.

"Your ma was a good woman, taking care of you as long as she did," he says.

"I'll never forget her," Jim says. "She always steered me right."

He stays until he thinks it's good, and doesn't check the storage cabin on his dinghy till he's safely stowed on board his new ship and no one will notice if a naval officer's been trying to hide away in a wanted pirate's crew.

Jim smiles sheepish-like, though his eyes have shadows that weren't there yesterday.

"Well, Hawkins me lad, you've done both of us now," he says. "Whatever would Miz Hawkins say?"

Jim sighs. "That I was crazy, and foolhardy." His lips tighten. "And that even old men need a steady hand to steer them right, sometimes."

4\. Jim gets him a postcard once - "Astralica - Wish You Were Here". It's a holographic card, of Jim sitting overlooking the spaceport, the aetherwind kicked up by the coming and going of all those ships rustling his hair. He's got no idea how Jim tracked him down, and even less interest in staying there once he knows Jim has.

John keeps it buried under all the gold and gems he's been able to steal since he left.

5\. Seeing Jim's face, as he left.


End file.
